Supply container for photographic plates



June 9, 1942. w. RABKIN SUPPLY CONTAINER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIES PLATES Filed April 2, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l mventor Cttomeg June 9, 1942. w, RABKlN 2,286,010

SUPPLY CONTAINER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIG PLATES Filed April 2, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l Www M 1" www A Gttorneg Patented June 9, 1942 SUEPLY CNTAHNER. FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES William Rabkin, Kew Gardens, N. Y.

Application April 2, 1941, Serial No. 386,406 In Canada March 14, 1941 (Cl. Sti- 19) l Ciaiins.

The present invention relates to supply con-' tainers for framed photographic plates which are used in automatic photographic machines of the type shown in U. S. Patent No. 2,l92,755 granted March 5, 1940 to me and Leo Einar Larsen.

As shown in said patent, there is provided a metal container or magazine for the supply of photographic plates, the latter being disposed in stacked relation in said container and fed in succession from the bottom of the magazine to the camera Where the plate is exposed in taking the picture. Since the photographic plates are packed and shipped in cardboard containers, it is necessary to transfer said plates from the shipping container or packages thereof to the metal container or magazine of the machine, and this must be done each time the supply of plates in the magazine is depleted or almost depleted. The transfer of the plates from the shipping containers to the magazine container is a disadvantage because ci the necessity for reloading the supply container or magazine in a dark room in order to avoid exposure of the plates to light. It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to obviate this disadvantage.

v More particularly, in accordance with the present invention, the use of a dark room for reloading the plate magazine is unnecessary.

Another important object oi the invention is to provide a package of photographic plates which can be used in the photographic machine as part of the supply container or magazine, thus eliminatingf the metal container and the necessity for transferring said plates from the shippingI container or package to said supply container or magazine of the machine.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of a package or container for photographic plates which can be quickly and easily mounted in the photographic machine Without trating other forms, respectively, of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a sectional View on the line G-E of Fig. 2 showing another form of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top plan View of the guidevvay of the photographic machine and illustrates the method of mounting the supply container in position on said guideway;

Fig. 81s a sectional View on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7, the supply container being in proper position on the guideway;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view or" the base of the magazine on which the supply container is mounted;

Fig. l0 is a fragmentary side View of the supply containcr including the base and a temporary cover for the bottom of the latter;

Fig. l1 is a perspective View of the temporary cover for the bottom of the base;

Fig. l2 is a side View of the base; and

Fig. 13 is a View similar to Fig. 3 showing another form of the plate package.

Referring now more specically to the drawings, the photographic-plate package I0 embodying the present invention, in the condition in which said package is shipped to its destination for use, is illustrated in Fig. l. Said package is light-proof and comprises a container which is formed of cardboard or any other suitable material which is opaque. Said container consists of a tubular body portion I2 of oblong cross section in which the framed photo-sensitive plates P are stacked, as illustrated in Fig. 3, With the sensitized surfaces of said plates uppermost. The container conforms interiorly substantially in size and shape to said framed photographic plates and is substantially filled with the latter from end to end, there being ordinarily plates stacked in the containerA The top end of the container, considering the latter in vertical position as when it is mounted on the guidevvay of the photographic machine, is sealed by an end closure or anged cover I 4 glued or otherwise iixedly secured to said end of body portion I2 of the container to prevent the passage of light into the latter. End closure I4 is intended to be nonremovable. The other or lower end of body portion I2 is provided with an end closure member or cover I6 similar to cover I4 except that it is intended to be removed to permit the photographic plates to be successively ejected one at a time from the supply container or magazine as will hereinafter appear.

As illustrated in Figs. 8 and 10 the supply container is, when used as part of the plate magazine of the photographic machine, mounted on a metal base I8, and for this purpose the body portion I2 of the container is preferably provided with shoulder-forming means 26 having a lower peripherally extending edge 22 which is seated upon the upper edge 24 of the base for support- 5 ing the supply container in vertical position. Said shoulder-forming member comprises preferably a strip of relatively stiff cardboard of suitable thickness extending completely around the body portion I2 of the container near but l0 spaced from the lower end thereof and securely fixed to the outer surface of said body portion preferably by an adhesive. Member 2D also provides an upper peripherally extending shoulder 26 which, as illustrated in Figs.8 and l0 are re- 15 leasably engaged by the retaining members 28 adjustably secured to the sides of base I8 by screws 36. It will be observed that the upper ends of members 28 have inturned end portions 32 which engage shoulder 26 and that said mem- 20 bers are provided with slots 34, as shown in Fig. 12, through which adjusting screws 30 pass so that when said screws are tightened members 26 hold the supply container securely on the base.

Provision is made for temporarily supporting the stack of plates P in the supply container when the cover I6 thereof is removed preliminary to the mounting of said container on base I6, in order that the supply container can be held in vertical position with the sensitized surfaces of the plates uppermost during the operation of mounting the supply container on base I8. The means provided for this purpose comprises, in the preferred form thereof illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 -V 3, a U-shaped wire member 36 having legs 38 35 projecting through openings in the opposite side walls of the container. Member 36 extends across the container near the lower end thereof and preferably between said end and the lower edgeof shoulder-forming member 20. The connectu ing end portion 46 of U-shaped member 36 lies close to and preferably abuts the outer surface of the adjacent side wall of the container, and the free ends of legs 38 of member 36 have bent portions 42 which lie close to and abut the adi 45 jacent side wall of the container. Closure member I6 being a flanged cover, as stated above, has side portions 44 which, when the cover is in position overlie said end portions 46 and 42 of,HV member 36. It will be understood that end poro tions of member 36 are initially straight and are bent after said legs 38 are projected through the openings in the opposite side walls of the container. As illustrated in Fig. 3 the upper edge of the cover abuts the lower edge of member 20, 55 which is preferred although not essential. Said cover I6 is secured removably in position by a strip 46 of gummed paper wihch extends completely around the container and member 20 and the fiange of cover I6.

As illustrated in Fig. 4 the means for temporarily supporting the photographic plates comprises individual members 46 instead of a single U-shaped member 36, said members 48 having end portions 50 which are bent so that they lie close to the adjacent sides of the container at the upper surfaces thereof. In other respects the temporary supporting means constituted by members 48 are arranged in the same way as the above described temporary supporting means 36. 7 As illustrated in Fig. 5 the temporary supporting means for the photographic plates P is constituted by a sheet metal member 52 having its opposite ends 54 bent so that they lie close to and preferably abut the adjacent sides of the contain- 75 er. In Fig. 6 the temporary supporting member 36 is positioned close to the bottom edge of shoulder-forming member 20 and the upper edge of the flange of cover I6 lies adjacent the end portions 46 and 42 of said member 36, said ends 40 and 42 of member 36 being covered by the fastening strip 46. If desired, notches can be provided in the edge of cover I6 to receive the ends of the temporary plate-supporting members, whereby the upper edge of the cover I6 can abut the lower edge of member 20.

When it is desired to replenish the supply of photographic plates in the machine, the container previously mounted on base I8 is removed and a similar container having a stack of unexposed plates therein is mounted on said base. In order to operatively connect the new supply container to the base, it is necessary first to remove cover I6 and thereafter the means provided as described above for temporarily supporting the photographie plates. The removal of cover I6 is readily accomplished by severing fastening strip 46 to permit removal of cover I6. After cover I6 is removed the supply container is positioned over the base with the temporary supporting means engaging the upper edge 24 of the base, and with the container thus positioned the temporary supporting means are removed, the bent ends 42 or 54 thereof, respectively, having been first straightened in order to permit the withdrawal of said temporary supporting means through the openings in the container through which said members project.

By reference to Fig. 3 it will be noted that filling material such as tissue paper 43 is disposed between the lowermost plate P and the end closure member or cover I6, this filling material being provided for holding the plates against movement thereof within the container during shipment and also for the purpose of preventing the passage of light to the container when the closure I6 is removed. It will be understood that this filling material is removed at the time the container is connected to base I8.

In Fig. 13, there is illustrated a modification of the present invention. As here shown, the temporary supporting means for the plate P are constituted by a strip 53 of paper extending across the end of container I2 inwardly of cover I6 and adhesively secured at its ends 55 to' the opposite side walls of the container. Said strip 53 is preferably formed of material known as Scotch tape which is paper or fabric coated with adhesive which permits stripping the tape from the surfaces to which it is attached. Said tape can be of any suitable width, for example, wide enough to cover the end of the container or, alternatively, of about the same width as supporting member 52 shown in Fig. 5.

Referring now more specifically to base I8, the latter is preferably a metal casting comprising opposite side walls 56 and opposite side walls 56 defining a rectangular tubular portion in which the lower end portion of the supply container has a snug fit as illustrated in Fig. 8. The side walls 56 of the base are provided with flanges 60 and 62 which are slid under the lateral side rail portions 64 and 66, respectively, of the guide Way G, of the photographic machine, as illustrated in Fig. '7, whereby the base is properly secured and positioned on said guideway. The lower edge 68 of the supply container terminates at or adjacent the lower surface of base I 8, preferably just above said lower surface.V

For temporarily closing the lower end of base I8 when the supply container is connected thereto and before mounting the base and the attached container on guideway G, a temporary closure member 10, illustrated in Fig. 11, is provided. Closure member 10 yhas inturned side edge portions I2 which t over the side flanges 6D and 62 `or base I8 in slidable engagement therewith.

Closure member 'ID is also provided with an upwardly extending part 'I4 which limits the movement of said closure member on the base in one direction. Said part 'I4 is releasably engaged by a latch I6 pivotally mounted on wall 58 of the base.

By reference to Fig. '7 of the drawings, it will be noted that as base I8 and the supply container connected thereto are 'being mounted as a unit on guideway G of the photographic machine, the temporary closure member I0 is progressively moved off of the base I8, and it will be understood that said temporary closure member 'l0 is removed entirely from the base when the latter is in its nal or operative position on guideway G. When temporary closure member I0 is removed the photographic plates are supported as illustrated in Fig. 8 with the lowermost plate in engagement with and supported by guideway G. Also as illustrated in Fig-8, it will be observed that after the base and the attached container of photographic plates are mounted on the guideway G said base is held releasably in xed position on said guideway by a pivoted latch 'la which engages the base I8 at one side edge 80 thereof, the opposite side edge 90 of the base abutting against the iix'ed part 92 of the photographic machine.

Thus it is seen that the container of the package II) in which the photographic plates are shipped constitutes together with base I8 a magazine for the supply photographic plates to the photographic machine, and as explained above when the supply of plates in one of the containers is depleted said container is removed from the base and is replaced by a container having a stack of unexposed plates therein. Preferably in replacing the depleted container with a iilled container, base I8 is removed from guideway G to facilitate the attachment of the new container, temporary closure member 'l0 being attached to the base after the removal of the same from the machine and before the new container is attached to the base. Thereafter, the base carrying the new container of photographic plates is replaced in the photographic machine in the manner described above with reference to Fig. 7.

While I have shown and described several forms of the present invention it will be understood that the latter may be embodied otherwise than as here specifically shown or described and that lin the illustrated forms of the invention certain changes in the details of construction and in the arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is possible to omit shoulder-forming means 20 and to support the container on ledges provided interiorly of the base near the bottom thereof, the lower edge of the container engaging said ledges. Likewise, other changes in the construction of the supply container may be made and will occur to skilled artisans in view of the present disclosure. Accordingly, I do not wish to be limited to the invention as herein specifically shown or described except as may be required by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A package of photographic plates constructed and arranged -to be mounted on a base and to form therewith a plate-supply magazine in a photographic machine, said package comprising a light-proof container having a stack of said plates therein, said container having an opening at one Vend thereof, a light-proof closure for said open end of the container, said closure being removable to permit said open end of the container to register with the base when said container is mounted thereon, said closure having parts overlying the opposite sides of said container near said end thereof, and means for temporarily supporting said plates in stacked relation in said container when said closure is removed comprising a removable member carried by and extending across the container near said end thereof and terminating in end portions engaged by the inner surfaces, respectively, of said parts of the closure when the latter is attached to the container.

2. A package of photographic plates constructed and arranged to be mounted on a base and to form therewith. a plate-supply magazine in a photographic machine, said package comprising a light-proof container having a stack of said plates therein, said container having an opening at one end thereof, shoulder-forming means carried by said container externally thereof near but spaced from said end of the container in position to engage said base for supporting the container thereon in vertical position, a light-proof closure for said end of the container secured thereto and removable therefrom preliminary to mounting said container on the base, removable means for temporarily supporting said plates in stacked relation in said container when said closure is removed, said temporary plate-supporting means extending across said container in position near said end of the container and removably fastened to said container and held in said position independently of the securement of said closure to said container whereby said closure can be removed without unfastening said temporary plate-supporting means.

3. A package of photographic plates constructed and arranged to be mounted on a base and to form therewith a plate-supply magazine in a photographic machine, said package comprising a light-proof container having a stack of said plates therein, said container having an opening at one end thereof, a light-proof closure for said open end of the container, said closure being removable to permit said open end of the container to register with the base when said container is mounted thereon, said closure having parts overlying the opposite sides of said container near said end thereof, and means for temporarily supporting said plates in stacked relation in said container when said closure is removed comprising a plurality of removable members carried by and extending across the container near said end thereof, said members being removably fastened to said container independently of the securement of said closure to said container whereby said closure can be removed without unfastening said members.

4. A package of photographic plates constructed and arranged to be mounted on a base and to form therewith a plate-suply magazine in a photographic machine, said package comprising a light-proof container having a stack of said plates therein, said container having an opening at one end thereof, a light-proof closure for said open end of the container, said closure being removable to permit said open end of the container to register with the base when said container is mounted thereon, said closure having parts overlying the opposite sides of said container near said end thereof, and means for temporarily supporting said plates in stacked relation in said container whien said closure is removed comprising a removable U -shaped member carried by and extending across the container near said end thereof.

5. A package of photographic plates constructed and arranged to be mounted on a base and to form therewith a plate-supply magazine in a photographic machine, said package comprising a light-proof container having a stack of said plates therein, said container having an opening at one end thereof, a light-proof closure for said open end of the container, said closure being removable to permit said open end of the container to register With the base when said container is mounted thereon, said closure having parts overlying the opposite sides of said container near said end thereof, and means for temporarily supporting said plates in stacked relation in said container when said closure is removed comprising a removable U-shaped member carried by and extending across the container near said end thereof and terminating in end portions engaged by the inner surfaces, respectively, of said parts of the closure when the latter is attached to the container.

6. A package of photographic plates constructed and arranged to be mounted on a base and to form therewith a plate-supply magazine in a photographic machine, said package comprising a light-proof container having a stack of said plates therein, said container having an opening at one end thereof, a light-proof closure for said open end of the container, said closure being removable to permit said open end of the container to register with the base when said container is mounted thereon, said closure having parts overlying the opposite sides of said container near said end thereof, and means for temporarily supporting said plates in stacked relation in said container when said closure is removed comprising a U-shaped member removably carried by said container and extending thereacross near said end thereof, said U-shaped member passing through opposed wall portions of said container and removably fastened to said container independently of the securement of said closure to the container whereby said closure can be removed without unfastening said U-shaped member.

'7. A package of photographic plates constructed and arranged to be mounted on a base and to form therewith a plate-supply magazine in a photographic machine, said package comprising a, light-proof container having a stack of said plates therein, said container having an opening at one end thereof, a light-proof closure for said open end of the container, said closure being removable to permit said open end of the container to register with the base when said container is mounted thereon, said closure having parts overlying the opposite sides of said container near said end thereof, and means for temporarily supporting said plates in stacked relation `in said container when said closure is removed comprising `a member of sheet material removably carried by said container and extending thereacross near said end thereof.

8. A package of photographic plates constructed and arranged to be mounted on a base and to form therewith a plate-supply magazine in a photographic machine, said package comprising a light-proof container having a stack of said plates therein, said container having. an opening at one end thereof, a light-proof closure for said open'end of the container, said closure being removable to permit said open end of the container to register with the base when said container is mounted thereon, said closure having parts overlying the opposite sides of said container near said end thereof, and means for temporarily supporting said plates in stacked relation in said container when said closure is removed comprising a member of sheet material removably carried by said container and extending thereacross near said end thereof and terminating in end portions engaged by the inner surfaces, respectively, of said parts of the closure when the latter is attached to the container.

9. A package of photographic plates constructed and arranged to be mounted cn a base and to form therewith a plate-supply magazine in a photographic machine, said package comprising a light-proof container having a stack of said plates therein, said container having an opening at one end thereof, shoulder-forming means carried by said container externally thereof near but spaced from said end of the container in position to engage said base for supporting the container thereon in Vertical position, a. light-prooi closure for said end of the container secured thereto and removable therefrom preliminary to mounting said container on the base, removable means for temporarily supporting said plates in stacked relation in said container when said closure is removed, said temporary plate-supporting means comprising a removable U-shaped member carried by and extending across the container near said end thereof.

l0. A package of photographic plates constructed and arranged to be mounted on a base and to form therewith a plate-supply magazine in a photographic machine, said package comprising a light-proof container having a stack of said plates therein, said container having an opening at one end thereof, shoulder-forming means carried by said container externally thereof near but spaced from said end of the container in position to engage said base for supporting the container thereon in vertical position, a light-proof closure for said end of the container secured thereto and removable therefrom preliminary to mounting said container on the base, removable means for temporarily supporting said plates in stacked relation in said container when said closure is removed, said temporary plate-supporting means comprising a removable U-shaped member carried by and extending across the container near said end thereof, said closure having side portions overlying the opposite ends, respectively, of said temporary supporting means.

WILLIAM RABKIN. 

